Common Heat Pump Problems and How to Fix Them – Part 1 of 2

A heat pump can be an efficient and versatile home cooling and heating solution – but only if it’s working properly.

In this two-part blog post, we’ll look at some common heat pump problems and how you can address them before you contact us for service.

Problem 1: If your heat pump doesn’t run at all:

• Check your thermostat – Make sure it’s set for “heat,” or for the target cooling temperature. Set the thermostat for at least five degrees above (for heating) or below (for cooling) your room’s current temperature to engage the system.
• Check your thermostat batteries – If you can’t see your thermostat’s digital readout, install new batteries. Plan to replace batteries about twice a year.
• Check for tripped circuit breakers – Reset circuit breakers that supply power to the unit. If the circuit breaker trips repeatedly, it will need professional repair.
• Check power switches – Make sure any wall switches that may affect operation of the heat pump are in the “on” position.
• Make sure your thermostat is heat pump compatible, and properly installed – If you have installed a new thermostat recently, make sure it can be used for heat pumps (not all thermostats are), and that it has been installed properly. If you’re not sure, contact us.

If none of these solutions fixes the problem, contact us to schedule a service appointment.

In our next post, we’ll talk about addressing two other common heat pump problems: underperformance and improper cycling.